Hello, I'm Abbie

Hello, I'm Abbie.  I'm a compulsive overeater.  We (compulsive overeaters, that is) have a support group, just like Alcoholics Anonymous.  Actually, our 12-step program is modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous, so there are remarkable similarities.

For whatever reason, at some point in my life, I learned to turn to food for comfort and pleasure.  I developed inappropriate and unhealthy eating patterns.  It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that my overeating was compulsive, based on emotions and circumstances, and that I am not fat for the simple fact that food loves me so much that it decides to hang on to any part of my body for all eternity.

I am 5 feet 6 inches tall, 256 lbs.  I am standing at the precipice of my journey to regain control of my life and attempting to conquer the hold that food has on my body.  To be perfectly honest, I am scared shitless.

This is me:

I look pretty happy, huh?  Or not.

See that look on my face?  It pretty well captures my outlook on my life right at the moment.  The idea of losing the amount of weight I need to lose is pretty scary.  Will I be able to do it?  What if I fail?  Will I allow small stumbling blocks to kill my desire, my need, to be at a healthy weight?  My biggest fear: what if it's not possible?  What if I truly can't do it?

Here goes nothing.  I'm jumping in with both feet.